New Year, New Love
by alice writes stuff
Summary: Steve hosts a New Year's Eve party, with some unexpected results...


A.N- Happy New Year's Eve, guys! This must be the third thing I've posted this week. I decided to write this because, as I was re-watching Winter Soldier, I realised that I hadn't written anything to do with Stucky yet. So, I decided to do something about that. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Steve had been pacing up and down his living room for the last half hour. He'd invited all his friends round for New Year's Eve, and so far none of them had shown up. He was about to give up and go watch TV when he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he found Natasha waiting on the doorstep, Sharon standing next to her. He knew that most of his guests tonight were coming in twos or threes, since that was generally safer. Still, he hadn't been expecting these two tio show up together.

"Hey, guys, come on in." He stepped aside to let them pass.

"Hey, Steve." Natasha replied. Sharon smiled, but didn't say anything. Steve couldn't blame her- things had been pretty awkward between the two of them recently. Whatever they'd felt for each other before seemed to have dwindled down into friendship, which was probably for the best. She was too much like Peggy, and they didn't really have much in common beyond their connections to the former S.H.I.E.L.D director. He went to offer them drinks, when he heard another knock at the door. When he went to answer the door, he was surprised to see Tony standing on the doorstep.

"What are you doing here, Tony?" He hadn't been expecting this, and really wasn't sure what to do now.

"I heard there'd be wine." He paused. "Or beer, or whatever it is you drink."

"Tony, be serious. What is it you really want?"

"Okay, you got me. We need to talk. I don't wanna go into the New Year on such bad terms with you, we've been through too much for that."

"Alright. Just so you're aware, I've invited Bucky here too. I don't know when he'll get here, but if you want to leave when he comes, I'll understand." Immediately, Tony's face darkened, and Steve wished he hadn't said anything.

"You've invited Barnes here? What were you thinking? It's only been a few months, we still don't know if he's safe to be around or not."

"Look, you don't have to stay here once he shows up, I've told you that already. But he's my oldest friend, and I wanted to be with him tonight." There was more to it than that, but that wasn't relevant just now.

"Alright. I won't stay here once he shows up. I'm ready to make amends with you again, but not with him. He killed my parents, I'm not ready to let that go yet."

"No, HYDRA did that. They were just using Bucky as their weapon. I know what happened to your family was messed up, and I'm not excusing it. Just think before you assign blame here, okay?" At first, Tony didn't say anything. Then he sighed.

"Maybe you've got a point. I guess I'll have to add befriending a brain-washed serial killer to my list of New Year's Resolutions."

"Look, nobody said you had to be friends with him. Just don't put all the blame on him, that's all I'm asking."

"I know, Steve. Trust me, I'm putting plenty of blame onto HYDRA too now. Maybe in time I'll be able to have that conversation with Barnes about all this, but for now it's probably best that I stay away."

"Got it. Will you stay here for a bit, though? Just until Bucky gets here?"

"Of course." He looked around and spotted Natasha and Sharon helping themselves to some of the drinks on the table. "Hey, Sharon, Romanoff." Steve looked from Tony to Sharon and back again.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Tony rolled his eyes.

"Are you kidding me, Cap? Her aunt Peggy was like family to me. Of course I know her."

"How are you, Tony?" Sharon asked.

"Well, aside from the fact that this year has been way worse than I ever thought it could, I'm doing just great."

"At the end of any other year, I'd think you were just being a drama queen, but this year I'll have to agree with you." Steve said, and went to go talk to Natasha.

"So, have you and Tony kissed and made up?"

"Yes- I mean, no. It's not like that." She rolled her eyes.

"Sure it isn't. He's single, you're single, you've got a thing for brunettes, it would be a great idea."

"No, it wouldn't. Besides, I'm interested in someone else. Wait, how do you even know I like guys as well as girls?"

"Rogers, it's best not to question how I know things, just accept that I know them."

"Fair enough." He hadn't expected her to be so casual about the fact that he swung both ways, but apparantly that was another thing that was more widely accepted these days. Still, he wasn't going to complain about that. Then the door went again. This time, he found Sam, Scott, Clint and Wanda there.

"Hey, guys." He let them in, closing the door. Now, he just had to wait on Bucky. He'd invited T'Challa too, but he'd declined. Apparantly he was going to spend New Year's Eve in Wakanda with his people. Steve had sent him a bottle of wine instead, as a thank you for all his help with Bucky. He just hoped that was the appropriate thing to send a king.

It was about half an hour until midnight, and Bucky still hadn't shown up. Steve was starting to wonder if he was going to, when he heard another knock at the door.

"Well, that's my cue to leave, see you in the new year guys." Tony opened the door, stepping past Bucky on his way out. Steve almost forgot to wave him goodbye, he was so taken aback by Bucky. With a new haircut and a replacement arm hidden by his jacket, he almost looked like he had before the war. For a moment, it was like nothing had changed, and before he could stop himself, he was hugging Bucky tightly. There was a pause, then Bucky hugged him back just as tightly.

"I didn't think you were gonna show up."

"Well, it's not like I had anywhere else to go." Bucky smiled, and Steve couldn't help smiling back.

It was a few minutes until midnight now. Steve had spent the last twenty-something minutes sitting with Bucky, getting caught up. Steve was surprised by how natural it felt, considering everything that had happened since the last time they'd had a chance to talk like this.

However, it didn't last, as they were interrupted by Sam announcing that it was a minute till the New Year. Quickly, they stood up and grabbed a drink from the table. As the old clock in Steve's apartment struck twelve, he did something he hadn't been planning on. Taking a step closer, he kissed Bucky. For a moment, nothing happened, but then he felt Bucky kissing him back. He wrapped an arm around his old friend's waist, deepening the kiss. It had been too long since they'd done anything like this…

Unfortunately, it couldn't last forever, and before long, Bucky pulled away, and they looked at each other for a moment.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."

"Trust me, Stevie, I've got a pretty good idea." Steve almost expected Natasha to chip in at that, but she kept out of it. He noticed that she and Sharon were holding hands now, and figured out what had happened there. That explained why they'd shown up together, then.

Bucky ended up staying over, and while nothing happened beyond a bit more kissing, Steve couldn't help thinking this was the start of something great, and that all things considered, maybe next year wouldn't be so bad after all.


End file.
